A $225,000 settlement has been reached in a lawsuit alleging excessive force in Pope County, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas said Tuesday.
The lawsuit claimed that law enforcement in Dover and Pope County used excessive force against two Dover residents while the two were walking their dog along a sidewalk outside of their house Sept. 13, 2011.
Eva and Ron Robinson, along with their son Matthew Robinson, said in the lawsuit that Dover police officer Steven Payton and Pope County sheriff's office Sgt. Kristopher Stevens overreacted when seeing Matthew Robinson and his mother, Eva Robinson, walking the dog.
Payton said he was concerned for the woman's safety, not knowing whether the two individuals were related, The Associated Press reported. He added that the mother and son were uncooperative.
The settlement was reached with Sgt. Kristopher Stevens and Pope County shortly before a federal jury found in favor of Deputy Marshal Steven Payton of the Dover Police Department.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.